Zoom Bug on Mac Doesn't Let Users Switch Off Their Microphone After a Conference

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 12 February 2022, 09:02 am

Zoom rolled out an important update on the platform this week as users using the macOS app complained that the microphone does not turn off even after they've ended a conference.

Luckily, the popular video conferencing platform confirmed that it was just a bug, and they have fixed it already.

Zoom's Bug Update

Since 2021, several users have been complaining about the bug in the Zoom Community through The Register.

According to the users, Mac's microphone stayed active even after they've ended a Zoom conference, which immediately raised privacy concerns.

Al thanks to a new privacy feature introduced with macOS Monterey that shows a small orange circle in the menu bar when an app is using the microphone, users noticed that there was something wrong with the video conferencing app. Although the causes of the bug were not identified, Zoom confirmed it is now fixed.

Also Read: Zoom Brings Facebook Head of Security As Part of 90-Day Plan To Enhance Security And Get Back on Top

Zoom has confirmed a bug in its macOS app that could cause the microphone-in-use indicator to blink even after ending a conference.

According to Zoom's spokesperson, the latest version of the app no longer has this issue.

According to 9to5Mac, they've experienced a bug relating to the Zoom client for macOS, which also showed the orange indicator light appearing even after leaving a meeting, conference, or call.

The bug was immediately addressed in the Zoom client for macOS version 5.9.3, and 9to5Mac recommends users update to version 5.9.3 to apply the fix.

Users are not confident about the update as Zoom does not have a good track record of worrying about users' data privacy. In 2021, the platform was fined $85 million after it lied about having end-to-end encryption on its services.

Earlier this year, two Zoom bugs were exploited by MMR, according to cybersecurity.

Zoom asks users to update the app to the latest version available, and it also recommends keeping automatic updates enabled to get patches as soon as they are rolled out.

Common Zoom Problems and How to Fix Them

If you can't get Zoom to work, it is best to check Zoom's service status to see if the problem is at the app's end, according to Pocket Lint.

Point the browser at status zoom.us, and you will be able to see if any of Zoom's services are not working, any ongoing problems, and what is being done about it.

Make sure you shut down the apps that you are not using. Zoom and other applications can be demanding on your computer and internet connection, so it is worth shutting down apps you do not need if you are having problems. That can free up resources for Zoom to use.

Also, make sure that you are using the latest version of Zoom. There have been a couple of Zoom updates recently, the latest version at the time of writing is Zoom 5.5.2, so it is worth checking that you are using the latest version of the app.

When you open Zoom, you will be prompted to update if there is an update, but it is always worth checking, as some features change between updates.

If your app keeps crashing, do both of the things mentioned above. If you are still having problems, try restarting your computer. If that still does not solve it, check if there are any software updates for your computer.